Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-06-11
y VIRGINIA BIRMINGHAM.
The GlenmOrc Iron Mines SOW Being De-
Neloped Near White Sulphur Springs.
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, !

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, !
June /, 1887.
Among the many mines recently devel-
oped, perhaps the most remarkable are
the GlenmOre mines, near the summit of
the Alleghanies, close 10 the White Sui
phur Springs. The ure-vein lies on both
sides OF ridge, running from near that
point to AnthOny's creek, distance of
some eight or ten miles, through the prop
critics of MeSSrS. Grant aud Montague.
The formation is u remarkable one, ms
instead of being limOTnite, like the other
silurian ores found in this region, the ore
ut this point is remarkably line and we'll
defined sesquiONide or red hematite. ana
lying I'll per cent. of metallic iron. and
showing very small proportion of phos-
PhOrouS--in fact, a Bessemer ore The
presence OF ore in this ridge has been
known locally for some time but there
was no knowledge that it was of such SUI
periOr quality, it having been supposed to
be similar to the other deposits Of hmon-
lite found 80 prOtusely in other parts OF
Virginia and in Alabama.
Quite recent exploration also leads to
the belief that this vein extends across
Authony'S creek and continues for some
fifteen or twenty miles further in north
elstcrly direction.
1t is probable that this new field will be
rapidly developed, rs some prominent cap
taliSts have become satisfied not only OF its
quality but of its quantity. We under
stand that the MeSsrS. Carnegie, of Pitts
burg, have endeavOred to purchase it out
right, but the owners wish TO retain an in
tereSt in it themselves.
There are all the clements in this neigh
borhoOd for Il large manufacturing centre
This section is so situated that a railroad
can he located sixty miles up the Green
brier river, with the Goals on one side, and
the ores and limestone ON the other; in
other words, this river follows the eScarp-
ment Of the carbonitcrous strata where
they lap on the devonian and silurian.
Such line would be in a direct line to
Pittsburgh, connecting with Senator Davis
line, now ut the northern slope OF Cheat
mountain. At the point where the ore
has been fully exposed, near the White
Sulphur Springs, it is within six miles ct
the Newport.News and Mississippi Valley
railway by an easy grade.
We see in this all the elements Of Il Nir-
ginia Birmingham. The great advantages
claimed by Birmingham and vicinity is
the fact that ores, coal, and limestone are
found within comparatively small areas,
and upon this basis city OF more than
20, 600 inhabitants, with its millions of in
ycStmcntS, has sprung up within the last
few years. Such progress follows only in
the natural order of affairs and was plainly
loreseen, since railway charges form such
large proportion of our cost OF manuiac-
ture. Eut here We have TO less than 100
square miles with identically the same
ores aud conditions surrounding Birming
ham, TO which it is inferior IN nothing,
hut superior in that certainly one large
deposit OF BeSsemer ore has been found,
and that the Goals (which are the celebrated
New River COking measures are vastly
superior to those OF Alabama, and can be
worked more cheaply, since the area Is
greater and the seams practically horizon
tai One short line of railway would put
this whole territory in direct co'nmunica-
tion with Pittsburgh and with the Ohio
riyer-to which there is all down grade -
and with the Atlantic seaboarG.